During the NFL league Meetings in Phoenix last month, Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was asked about defensive tackle Nick Fairley and what he expected to see from his talented third-year player this upcoming season.

"Nick needs to be on the field for us," he said. "We need to get him to the point where he can play 16 (games) for us the way he plays eight for us every year.

"He's an impact player. I think that you saw all the reasons that we drafted him. The tackles for losses, affecting the passing game, sacks, chase plays. He's really a fast guy, he can chase down screens, he can do all those things. So it's been more (about) availability for him."

Fairley is among the Lions who began the offseason training program this week in Allen Park and he's already made an impression on at least one teammate.

"I think Nick Fairley is at that stage when he won a National Championship (at Auburn)," linebacker Stephen Tulloch said. "He just comes to work and talks about it every day."

DT Nick Fairley

Tulloch shared a conversation he had with Fairley earlier in the week that he said impressed him.